Drove into our town centre last Saturday and found that a large bunch of elderly gentlemen were doing a Morris dance near the Market Place. Never did find out what they were celebrating, though. Perhaps they were all just a bit dotty.
P.s. Just enlarged him, and I think you're right and he's intended to be a big black dog. I don't know of any canine characters in the traditional Morris Dances, though. Do you?
There are as many versions of the Morris dance as there are villages with Morris dancers. There has been an intermingling of Morris and Mumming traditions, Mike. I suspect the Black Dog to be a Mummery character rather than a Morryish element but I am far from certain about these antique antics. Mummers generally wear a disguise; some traditional Mummers wore elaborate streamers made from wallpaper, rags or newspapers which covered them from head to toe, while others wore a costume to reflect their character. Like the Mummers, Morris dancers may perform a locally collected play during the Christmas season. They're likely to perform a Hero-Combat play, with Father Christmas introducing himself as:
In comes I, Old Father Christmas, Am I welcome or Am I Not! I hope Old Father Christmas will never be forgot.
He then introduces further characters like St George, a Turkish Knight and a Valiant Soldier. There will be a fight. One will die. A highly qualified Doctor will appear who will resuscitate the dead with some amazing concoctions such as the Golden Gloucester Drops, or perhaps the Quick Risers! I suspect the Turkish knight may offer a clue as to the origins of the black dog considering the xenophobia of the period.
If you're fortunate enough to see the black dog again, Mike, sidle up to him muttering "I am Her Majesty's dog at Kew, pray tell me sir whose dog are you?" (words inscribed on the collar of the dog of an earlier Monarch.)
Thanks Mike, “I am his highness’s dog at Kew; Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?” was indeed an epigram that Alexander Pope wrote in the 1730s and had engraved on the collar of one of his puppies, which he gave to Frederick, Prince of Wales. I had forgotten much of the detail you provided.
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I doubt you are the leaping gent second from the left, but I am suspicious of the Black-Dog on the right!
No, no Crowbard. I give you my word that I'm not the black dog on the right either.
In fact I think he's probably not a dog, but the horse (alias 'Old Hoss').
P.s. Just enlarged him, and I think you're right and he's intended to be a big black dog. I don't know of any canine characters in the traditional Morris Dances, though. Do you?
There are as many versions of the Morris dance as there are villages with Morris dancers. There has been an intermingling of Morris and Mumming traditions, Mike. I suspect the Black Dog to be a Mummery character rather than a Morryish element but I am far from certain about these antique antics. Mummers generally wear a disguise; some traditional Mummers wore elaborate streamers made from wallpaper, rags or newspapers which covered them from head to toe, while others wore a costume to reflect their character. Like the Mummers, Morris dancers may perform a locally collected play during the Christmas season. They're likely to perform a Hero-Combat play, with Father Christmas introducing himself as:
In comes I, Old Father Christmas,
Am I welcome or Am I Not!
I hope Old Father Christmas will never be forgot.
He then introduces further characters like St George, a Turkish Knight and a Valiant Soldier. There will be a fight. One will die. A highly qualified Doctor will appear who will resuscitate the dead with some amazing concoctions such as the Golden Gloucester Drops, or perhaps the Quick Risers! I suspect the Turkish knight may offer a clue as to the origins of the black dog considering the xenophobia of the period.
If you're fortunate enough to see the black dog again, Mike, sidle up to him muttering "I am Her Majesty's dog at Kew, pray tell me sir whose dog are you?" (words inscribed on the collar of the dog of an earlier Monarch.)
Written by Alexander Pope, circa 1730, to Frederic, Prince of Wales - later George II.
Thanks Mike, “I am his highness’s dog at Kew; Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?” was indeed an epigram that Alexander Pope wrote in the 1730s and had engraved on the collar of one of his puppies, which he gave to Frederick, Prince of Wales. I had forgotten much of the detail you provided.
Could they have been celebrating the autumnal equinox or perhaps Michaelmas?
Yes, I suppose so, but it came as a bit of a surprise, as neither of us had seen it advertised anywhere.
https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Michaelmas/
The web-site above is worth a glance.
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